YouTube Stars Aren't All Under 30: Meet Kandee Johnson

YouTube is a global video-sharing website with enough content to entertain users for weeks, possibly even months. Although the basic functions of the website have remained the same since its launch, it has recently reworked its core principles to become one of the most visited spots on the Internet. This doesn’t necessarily mean that YouTube rebranded themselves, but it appears as though the initial purpose of the video-streaming site has changed. At first, many users visited YouTube solely for entertainment. Today, there is a larger focus on uploading videos, rather than just watching them, which has caused celebrity-like figures to emerge from the YouTube space.

Although the majority of YouTube users and content creators fall between the 18 and 24 age range, 38-year-old Kandee Johnson is no stranger to YouTube fame. Not only has she established herself as one of the best beauty gurus in the business, but she also proves that age has no limit and continues to use her success story to inspire bloggers, vloggers, and influencers. Kandee’s journey started in makeup artistry, but it wasn’t until her grandparents gave her an antiquated video camera (which still used tapes!) that she began creating videos and uploading 1-3 to YouTube every day. The first buzz surrounding Kandee’s channel were in response to her incredible makeup transformations into some of your favorite characters, including Jessica Rabbit, Edward Scissorhands, Snow White, the Queen of Hearts, and more.

Kandee didn’t have a lot of trouble accumulating an initial following, but her career was still up in the air because no one had any previous experience as to what the next steps were for someone rising to YouTube stardom. “I feel like when I started we were pioneers in the Wild West, and not much was known about what we were doing,” Kandee said. “So we just kind of learned everything as we went and kind of made up how to do things. And I like being a part of that. I'm honored to be a pioneer in the uncharted landscape that is now YouTube and ‘social influencer land.’”

As one of the first females over the age of 25 to emerge from YouTube fame, it’s no surprise Kandee’s journey wasn’t easy. Not only was she navigating uncharted territory, but the factors that initially worked in her favor eventually became the biggest challenges of all. “It's really hard to find balance when the very platforms you use never stop, 24/7 there are ways to engage, ways to share your content all the time,” she explained. “That is something that I struggle with. So I have to really work hard to shut down, even though I have lists of things that need to get done, worked on, hundreds of emails that need me to look at them or videos that need to be edited, all the time.”

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 24: (L-R) Amanda Steele, Kandee Johnson, and Joe Zee participate in a panel discussion about the Rise of the Digital Influence during the 3rd Annual BeautyCon Summit presented by ELLE Magazine at Pier 36 on May 24, 2014, in New...

The digital world never sleeps, which is why many users have to compete for engagement, likes, and subscriptions, even during off-hours. But, for someone who loves sharing videos as much as Kandee, the effort is worth the price. “When you want to create, entertain, teach, inspire, help, or benefit others, that's when what you're doing is going to have the greatest meaning,” she said. “I really have always loved inspiring, teaching and encouraging people, so I hope that comes across in my videos — whether I'm teaching how to get the perfect brows, look like a Barbie doll, make your own teeth whitening trays at home or how to handle a bad day. I love when I hear people came for the makeup but left inspired.”

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: Kandee Johnson attends Stream Con NYC 2015 on October 30, 2015, in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Stream Con)

Although Kandee originally started out on YouTube, her success has allowed for her to branch out of her niche industry and take on unique opportunities. Kandee’s most recent gig will take place on August 20th at Club Nokia, where she will host the fifth annual NYX Fine Artistry of Cosmetic Elites (FACE) Awards, an event dedicated to awarding the talents of up-and-coming beauty video bloggers. According to Kandee, “there is no other makeup competition like [the NYX FACE Awards]. It brings people from all over the internet, striving to be in the running and to see who is winning. Many of the contestants are self-taught but have incredible talents with makeup. To see what they do is really amazing. And to know that it's the biggest award show of it's kind makes it a real honor to be a part of.”

As one of the first females to successfully establish a career on YouTube, it is clear that Kandee Johnson’s abilities are not to be overlooked. Not only has she sacrificed sleep, her personal life, and countless hours getting to where she is today, but she also sets the bar at an all-time high for anyone looking to break into the industry. For those of you who are, take this advice from someone who did it with (practically) no help:

“Go with what you love. Be you, let your unique voice shine in the world. You can never try to be anyone else or replicate what anyone else has done. Just blaze a new trail and don't wait for the perfect time to do anything. Perfect times don't exist, just do something now. Make something happen and make people happy.” — Kandee Johnson